We are glad to live here now

Hi Davide and Family,

             Your current history is like mine twenty years ago. In my case I kept feeling bored on the west. When I came here I was unsettled at first, but gradually the reduction in intensity of this culture calmed me down

             I am elderly know and my Filipina wife and son and I live harmoniously and very happily on Siargao island.

             You have surely made a wise decision for yourself and family comimg to the Philippines, maybe half of Italy will follow you. Just joking, it needs a kind of open heart to be happy here and not everybody is like that.

             As the years passed by I found that the P's has its own deep unique  riches. I hope you don't mind if I mention an amazon kindle e book called DAN BROWN'S HELL IS HOME TO HEROES AND ANGELS.

             The thing is if you marry a good hearted Filipina it is like being in heaven with an angel. Then there are citizens who make heroic efforts to protect the environment. They pay a heavy price, but they fight on because they are so courageous.

             It is very interesting to think about your comments on Europe. This will take a while, I like the idea of decay, a decay from real life into money orientated culture and too much computer and call phone.
                      Mabuhay  tom shaw

Where exactly do you live on Tablas Island...Do you ever ferry over to Roxas, Mindoro..???

thanks for sharing your story.....JOE

Hi Tom,
thanks a lot for your reply. I agree with you about the relaxed life you can get here.

You are welcome !

I'm living close to Looc, BRGY Buenavista. Never have been in Mindoro yet. I'll visit that island asap.

rocchidavide wrote:

I'm living close to Looc, BRGY Buenavista. Never have been in Mindoro yet. I'll visit that island asap.

What is so special about Looc?? What do you do there for entertainment?? What does it cost to rent a 3 bed condo or home???

I may want to visit for a week or so....

Thanks...

you know, what is special for me maybe it isn't for other. Take a look at my blog " Philippines : now I live here " and at my website also (also English is available) lecasedelpaguro.com and you can have some answer.
Ciao

Hi rocchidavide,

May I ask you a honest question if I may, are you l'italiano?

No offence

I mean, nobody of Europeans claims that. It's interesting, innit?

Just my thought and pardon me then, if you are not l'italiano, you will not know how the EU was built. Through the inside wars claiming all of us in millions, devastating families to their ground, while some (mostly foreigners) claiming there is no future, and the Republic is an answer. Please respond.

By the way, in your observing claim, these villagers are there for you. I may remember Mr Kennedy's words: Don't you ask what the country will do for you. Ask what you can do for the country".

Also, I hope you are no refugee, because the Republic didn't sign Hague Convention on 1961-10-05 for foreign public documents legalization to share with us. It allows more fuss as you might see.

Hi Protogama, frankly speaking I cannot understand what you mean with your posts. If you read my story you see soon I'm Italian and also I spent 57 years of my life there. Only with an experience like mine somebody can make a criticism. Now I'm retired here. I know European Story very well ! What done I for my Country ? For 40 years I given to the Governments 50% of my salary as well as my wife and I think it's enough. And tell me, what do you done for Uganda and why now you are here ?

protogama wrote:

Also, I hope you are no refugee, because the Republic didn't sign Hague Convention on 1961-10-05 for foreign public documents legalization to share with us. It allows more fuss as you might see.

I personally think someone needs to have their medication reevaluated...

Agree !

Hi Sir,

My name is Michael Chiang, I am a Chinese Singaporean staying in the Philippines. I read your post and I really admire your courage and decision to move to the Philippines. I wish you well and I hope I can read more of your posting soon.

Please Mr Rocchidavide, tell me what make you choose the Philippines and why not Thailand or Malaysia? I guess you have a good reason for that and so do I, right? Why you didn't stay in Manila or even outside Manila?

I married my Filipina spouse for 20 years and I have lived in the region of Southern Leyte and only now I decided to retired and stay in Manila. Sometime I feel boring and miss the life in SG. (Singapore)

I can see you are also unhappy about your government and wanted to get out of your country. My reason is almost the same as you, our government runs the country like a business hub, everywhere and every things are control by them and even our retirement funds are locked by them. But it's a very safe place to rise our children.

I wish you well and happy life in the Philippines and please watch your back, ok? You know what I mean? Cheer...man

Hi Michael3, thank you for your post. First of all let me say I love Italy and the main problem that moved me abroad was the tax system: in 40 years became worse and worse. Why Philippines ? I made a deeply selection before to take my final decision, I have been here 2 time for vacation and after that I was sure this is my new Country. Why not other Country ? In some case because the government form, in other for the religion and not last here it's easy to communicate because everybody speaks English.
Now I'm enjoy of my choice as well as my wife and my son. I have been in Singapore and I remember that place safe and clean, maybe too much business oriented, and very expensive to live, do you agree ?
Thanks again for your kind questions.

Hello Rochidavide,

This is the first time I have seen your posts, I came to the same conclusions several years ago about retiring in the Philippines. I live in Sydney Australia with my Filipina wife. I will reach retirement age in 2014.

I too, have paid a lot of tax during my 48 years of continuous work here and feel that the Philippines offers the kind of quiet relaxed lifestyle I seek.

The people I have met in Phil during previous visits give me the impression of a happy gentle people, even in their relative poverty.

The cost of living in Phil is so much lower than Australia so the Australian pension will go a long way.

Next year we plan to visit Phil again to look for some land, perhaps on Cebu Island and look into the practicality of starting a hobby farm to contribute to the local economy.

The first step will be to live in Phil for a while to be sure I can adapt to the cultural change from Australia to Philippines. Just rent a house for a year or so in Cebu, then if all is good, take the next step of investing in land there.

Need to consider all of the legal aspects of foreigners purchasing land in Phil to ensure the safety of the investment. My wife is Filipina, so her name will be on the title, but legal protection needs to be built into the documentation to ensure I cannot lose the investment.

Should anyone wish to comment on their personal experiences, I would be happy to discuss them.

Ciao  K

Davide,

You're very gutsy to move here without having a prior connection. Yet, I know a few others who have done this and have made it. Best of luck.

xpatinphils wrote:

Davide,

You're very gutsy to move here without having a prior connection. Yet, I know a few others who have done this and have made it. Best of luck.

It really is amazing the number of people that are starting to consider moving here without a family connection of some kind. I don't think I would have done that myself. Especially looking back at 10 plus years of living here. This is or can be an exceptionally dangerous 3rd world country to just wonder into and set up housekeeping.
I'm glad I made the move, but marriage is what brought me here and marriage plus four kids is what keeps me here. That and the low cost of living...

casey63 wrote:

Hello Rochidavide,

This is the first time I have seen your posts, I came to the same conclusions several years ago about retiring in the Philippines. I live in Sydney Australia with my Filipina wife. I will reach retirement age in 2014.

I too, have paid a lot of tax during my 48 years of continuous work here and feel that the Philippines offers the kind of quiet relaxed lifestyle I seek.

The people I have met in Phil during previous visits give me the impression of a happy gentle people, even in their relative poverty.

The cost of living in Phil is so much lower than Australia so the Australian pension will go a long way.

Next year we plan to visit Phil again to look for some land, perhaps on Cebu Island and look into the practicality of starting a hobby farm to contribute to the local economy.

The first step will be to live in Phil for a while to be sure I can adapt to the cultural change from Australia to Philippines. Just rent a house for a year or so in Cebu, then if all is good, take the next step of investing in land there.

Need to consider all of the legal aspects of foreigners purchasing land in Phil to ensure the safety of the investment. My wife is Filipina, so her name will be on the title, but legal protection needs to be built into the documentation to ensure I cannot lose the investment.

Should anyone wish to comment on their personal experiences, I would be happy to discuss them.

Ciao  K

Hi Casey, does your wife have family living in the Philippines?  This is a large factor in where and how you will live.

mugtech wrote:

casey63 wrote:

Hello Rochidavide,

This is the first time I have seen your posts, I came to the same conclusions several years ago about retiring in the Philippines. I live in Sydney Australia with my Filipina wife. I will reach retirement age in 2014.

I too, have paid a lot of tax during my 48 years of continuous work here and feel that the Philippines offers the kind of quiet relaxed lifestyle I seek.

The people I have met in Phil during previous visits give me the impression of a happy gentle people, even in their relative poverty.

The cost of living in Phil is so much lower than Australia so the Australian pension will go a long way.

Next year we plan to visit Phil again to look for some land, perhaps on Cebu Island and look into the practicality of starting a hobby farm to contribute to the local economy.

The first step will be to live in Phil for a while to be sure I can adapt to the cultural change from Australia to Philippines. Just rent a house for a year or so in Cebu, then if all is good, take the next step of investing in land there.

Need to consider all of the legal aspects of foreigners purchasing land in Phil to ensure the safety of the investment. My wife is Filipina, so her name will be on the title, but legal protection needs to be built into the documentation to ensure I cannot lose the investment.

Should anyone wish to comment on their personal experiences, I would be happy to discuss them.

Ciao  K

Hi Casey, does your wife have family living in the Philippines?  This is a large factor in where and how you will live.

Considering that a foreigner can not own land then yes, it must be in your wife's name. Many of us buy the land in the name of the wife and then lease it from them (on paper) for say 50 years or so. That is some level of protection.
If you survive your wife, you then inherit the property anyway. But you have like two years I think to retitle the land to a Filipino by marriage again or by sale. If not you loose the land to the govt. Goofy laws here but what can ya do???

casey63 wrote:

Hello Rochidavide,

This is the first time I have seen your posts, I came to the same conclusions several years ago about retiring in the Philippines. I live in Sydney Australia with my Filipina wife. I will reach retirement age in 2014.

I too, have paid a lot of tax during my 48 years of continuous work here and feel that the Philippines offers the kind of quiet relaxed lifestyle I seek.

The people I have met in Phil during previous visits give me the impression of a happy gentle people, even in their relative poverty.

The cost of living in Phil is so much lower than Australia so the Australian pension will go a long way.

Next year we plan to visit Phil again to look for some land, perhaps on Cebu Island and look into the practicality of starting a hobby farm to contribute to the local economy.

The first step will be to live in Phil for a while to be sure I can adapt to the cultural change from Australia to Philippines. Just rent a house for a year or so in Cebu, then if all is good, take the next step of investing in land there.

Need to consider all of the legal aspects of foreigners purchasing land in Phil to ensure the safety of the investment. My wife is Filipina, so her name will be on the title, but legal protection needs to be built into the documentation to ensure I cannot lose the investment.

Should anyone wish to comment on their personal experiences, I would be happy to discuss them.

Ciao  K

****************************************

" The first step will be to live in Phil for a while to be sure I can adapt to the cultural change from Australia to Philippines. Just rent a house for a year or so in Cebu, then if all is good, take the next step of investing in land there. "

This is an excellent strategy...Hold the line on it, that is don't deviate. Stay the year look, listen, learn, or one of my own personal favorite expressions, is; learn it, know it, love it, live it. Stay the course, as your approach is thoughtful, safe-in the investment sense, and wise, (don't rush it) just because you "see" the good deal two months after you've got off the boat, (it's still an illusion) give the fantasy time to play out, it will be easier to separate fantasy from reality after you have some time under your belt (in country). The good deals will always be here, fools who rush in... sadly, and unfortunately they will not always be here... So take some time like you've planned to do, let the information "seep" in. It's a process...

Pampanga1 wrote:

xpatinphils wrote:

Davide,

You're very gutsy to move here without having a prior connection. Yet, I know a few others who have done this and have made it. Best of luck.

It really is amazing the number of people that are starting to consider moving here without a family connection of some kind. I don't think I would have done that myself. Especially looking back at 10 plus years of living here. This is or can be an exceptionally dangerous 3rd world country to just wonder into and set up housekeeping.
I'm glad I made the move, but marriage is what brought me here and marriage plus four kids is what keeps me here. That and the low cost of living...

***************************************************

" but marriage is what brought me here and marriage plus four kids is what keeps me here. "

Ha, as "you" can see Expat's need something to do here besides the boom-boom, least 'you' boomboom yourself out of house and home.

Hi everybody, I feel I have to explain better to you why I decide to move abroad. It was a couple of years that every morning at the mirror the question was the same : are you glad of your kind of life ? and the answer was : why not ? I have a nice family a nice house a good work so, what am I looking for ? But the correct answer was another : too much stress, bad future for my children and Italy now is tough for old people and my wife and I are on the way.....So, only when I accepted that like correct answer I understood I had to do something. I don't know if some of you was asked the same question but if yes are you sure about your answer ? I say that just to let you think on.
Ciao

rocchidavide wrote:

Hi everybody, I feel I have to explain better to you why I decide to move abroad. It was a couple of years that every morning at the mirror the question was the same : are you glad of your kind of life ? and the answer was : why not ? I have a nice family a nice house a good work so, what am I looking for ? But the correct answer was another : too much stress, bad future for my children and Italy now is tough for old people and my wife and I are on the way.....So, only when I accepted that like correct answer I understood I had to do something. I don't know if some of you was asked the same question but if yes are you sure about your answer ? I say that just to let you think on.
Ciao

Well said

Hi Mugtech,

Yes, most of her family still lives in Philippines, but she has spent most of her working life out of Phil, Middle East and Australia .She plans to return to Phil after a few more years working here in Aus. I hope by then I will have established things in Phil and we can do some business there. Playing by ear for the time being.... Regards  K

Thanks for your support in following the "roadmap" I was proposing, to get to know the Philippines as a retirement destination.

casey63 wrote:

Hi Mugtech,

Yes, most of her family still lives in Philippines, but she has spent most of her working life out of Phil, Middle East and Australia .She plans to return to Phil after a few more years working here in Aus. I hope by then I will have established things in Phil and we can do some business there. Playing by ear for the time being.... Regards  K

Sounds like you have the right idea, taking it slow with no major purchase until you get the lay of the land.  If her family lives on Cebu you will find out in short order whether or not Cebu is for you.  Best of luck.

rocchidavide wrote:

Agree !

hahahha i think so

hi. ive read your post. and im glad that you liked living here  in the philippines. it is good to know that despite every bad things happening right now in the philippines, especially in leyte and cebu, some people still chose to stay. right now, typhoon yolanda is a heartbreaking disaster that filipinos are encountering. the typhoon killed lots of families and people in leyte. i guess, i just wanted to spread the word to all of the people who cares for the philippines. anyway, reading all of the posts here, positive feedbacks for the philippines is amazing. thank you very much.

Hi just wanted to let you know that lots of countries in the world and people of goodwill are coming together to aid Philippines specially,BOHOL,LEYTE AND Northern CEBU,we are also praying for a quick recovery and rebuilding,i know first hand how Filipinos become stronger after a disaster.I personally plan to live there in the near future,and plan to go there next year,Bohol and LEYTE are on my list.Its just fair because its my 2nd country.MABUHAY!!!AND WEPA!!!

Thank you very much to all of the people from different countries who extended their hands to the Philippines. No words can describe how amazing it is. Thank you very much. God Bless us all.

nice to hear that from you sir. well said thanks for appreciating the weird happenings and people here.. ahahaha.. have a happy and blessed life here in the philippines!!!

I thank you so much !

Hi Rocchidavide,

How are you and your family after the typhoon ? Did it damage your area. My wife and I still plan to visit Tablas Is next Feb 2014. Hope to meet up then.. Ciao  K

Hi casey63, thanks for your thought ! It's ok, just some trees broken and some roof flew away. You can read my adventure in my blog : Philippines: now I live here !